Leader of Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, Alexander Ankvab, said that Sokhumi “respects the will of Crimeans, supports and recognizes their momentous choice.”

The referendum, he told the Russian news agencies on March 16, “reflects the will of multi-national people of the peninsula.”

He also said that this decision is based not only on “historical past, but on modern political realities as well.”

“This is a classical example of supremacy of the will of people,” Ankvab said.

Foreign ministry of Georgia’s another breakaway region, South Ossetia, issued a statement on March 17 saying: “South Ossetia respects the right of population of Crimea to determine independently its fate.”

“It cannot but be noted position of the authorities in Kiev, who have refrained from attempts to forcefully hinder population of Crimea to express its will,” breakaway South Ossetia’s foreign ministry said.